Trivia Night
by RosePetalTea
Summary: Trivia night at the Broomsticks with everybody but a new professor has joined and it makes concentrating a little harder. Rated M for sexual scenes and some cursing. Hermione/Neville


Plot: Trivia night at the Broomsticks with everybody but a new professor has joined and it makes concentrating a little harder.

A/N: So this is my first short story please review if you would like and rate. Enjoy and sorry no lemons this time.

The pub was full that night and everyone was having a good laugh. It was a tradition to get together at least once a month, if not more, to hash it all out in Trivia Pursuit Wizarding style. The questions weren't always about spells and history lessons there were fun questions that were out of league for Hermione but right up Ron's alley. They all sat in the now slightly toasty pub of the Three Broomsticks. Harry was next to Ginny his arm wrapped around her waist lazily, next to him were George and Angelina both whispering about something that would be the demise of someone else in the room. Those four sat at one side of the table while Hermione, Ron and Charlie, who was visiting everyone for a two-week vacation, sat on the other side. It seemed it was couples vs. singles, which always made for a rowdy game. The only problem they were one member down. The team of singles looked around trying to find someone that may be the solidifying member.

"I wonder why Luna didn't make it, she's almost always here." Ron mused; he had been dating on and off since Hermione and him had broken it off four years prior, but remained good friends.

"I heard she finally got the okay to travel to study nargels." Hermione noted, her eyes rolling slightly but there was a smile on her face. Luna was always a great player and friend but just a bit spacey.

"Nargles?" Charlie asked after a swig of firewhiskey.

"You really don't get out do you, brother? Luna, nargles her crazy magazine it's gone pretty big I thought even the reservation would be getting it by now." Ginny quipped she always had a way to use words as a sting, playfully, with her brothers.

Hermione and Ron laughed, Charlie didn't know Luna as well as the rest of them. He had gotten time off from the reserve and had already spent a week at the Weasley's place this was his vacation from the mad house he used to call home. He was staying with Ron in the middle of London both living the high life of bachelor-hood. All it meant was a lot of crappy food and alcohol.

"Well look who blew in, maybe he could join?" Charlie nodded his head to the most recent patron of the pub.

"Oh I think he should." Ginny saw the old classmate walk in.

"Second that! Or is it third…" Fred joined in winking at Hermione.

Neville Longbottom was far from the boy who was petrified in first year. Sure, his courage was shown in the last year of Hogwarts during the battle but he had grown even more. He was fitted in a jacket, it was snug along his broad shoulders, and his pressed slacks ran down his legs that ended in leather shoes. His hear was ruffled slightly from the howling wind outside and his nose and cheeks bitten red from the cold. He was taller than Hermione had remembered and his face had thinned a bit more but the biggest difference was that he held himself with so much poise, she almost didn't recognize him. He quickly made his way to the bar and slid his jacket on to one of the chairs. Before he could order though Charlie decided they had found their fourth player.

"Oi, Longbottom wanna play Trivia?" Charlie's eyes were twinkling and he knew this was going to be a good game.

Neville looked over eyes wide at his name being called and then cracked the biggest grin, because he hadn't seen most of them a long while. He had moved on away from the war stricken land of England and had studied abroad learning about more plants than he could ever imagine. It had been a great break from the harsh world. It had been almost eight years since he had been back in this neck of the woods.

"Charlie, Ron, Hermione, Ginny…everyone!" Rosemerta handed him his drink and he quickly thanked her before moving over to the two tables where everyone sat. "So trivia?" His eyebrow lifted in interest.

"Righto sport. It seems you get to join the singles table." Fred laughed heartily and clapped his own leg.

"It's a fairly simple game we have cards and each team draws one we ask the other team the question and see who racks up the most points. So far in the overall schemes we are about…tied."

"There is no way anyone remembers how we ever end up. You all get too sloshed by the end of it." Hermione said matter of factly.

"Oh come one you couldn't have win that many times." Fred looked at her waggling his eyebrows.

"Really? Of course, we have. We have the best team every time, just you wait." Hermione's face was slightly pink from her being on the spot and slightly because he had already started to sip her Firewhiskey.

"Stop, you always do this." Angelina smacked Fred up side the head.

"Oi watch it. You're messing up my hair." Fred tried to straighten out his already messy hair. The rest just laughed at him.

"Anyway, as Neville is the newest member we'll let them pick the question first." Harry pulled out the deck of cards they would be using they were simple in design with the tops being all the same design of what looked like iron wrought metal that belong on a terraced fence. On the other side was a question dealing with the wizarding world. The answer was placed right below it.

"So who's going to pull the card?" Fred asked looking at the other four ready for the game to begin.

"Neville should choose. Just pick any card from top, bottom, where ever." Ginny pointed the stack after shuffling so the cards would be all rearranged.

Everyone watched as Neville pulled a card from the top. He showed it to the others and chuckled at what the question was. "In France what famous Muggle chateau does the Qudditch pitch resemble?" He looked at the team of all Quidditch fans and players.

Ron gaped. "How would anyone…why would anyone know that?"

Harry smiled, this was his field after going to games with Ginny all over the world and being raised in the Muggle world, he had an upper hand at times.

"Oh, that palace it's um the Palace of Versailles known for its gardens." Fred clapped him on the back with a huge grin.

"Correct!" Neville high fived the young man in front of him.

"You really need to get your competitive side in form Longbottom." Charlie glowered.

Hermione laughed, Charlie was always the competitive one in the bunch. Normally they won without any question. As the liquor would flow freely and the couples would, get enamored with one another Hermione could always take them to a winning end. She may have been sorted into Gryffindor but she did love to win. If anything, it was her bravery to commit to this game and win by almost any means, mainly through intellect.

"Don't worry it's just the first round, we haven't even gotten to the juicy questions yet." Ginny said rolling her eyes.

Neville sat down taking his seat next to Hermione. He didn't notice until then how much she had changed as well. Her hair was still unruly but half of it was pulled back and held in place with a clasp. She smelled of parchment, mint and candlewax with just a tinged of cinnamon. Her face was just lightly splashed with color, probably from her own drink, and her eyes twinkled with her usual fun vibrancy. He hadn't seen anyone from the old gang in years. He wasn't even on planning to come back to London until he got the letter they needed a Herbology Professor because Sprout had finally planning on retiring and he had just about finished his travels abroad. He had even almost finished up figuring out where he would stay for a few years, but things had changed. He was going to be coming in late but not fully teaching until the next semester when Sprout would actually take leave.

"It's been too long, how are you?" Neville's stutter was gone but he still blushed when he talked with a girl he had feelings for, no matter how slight.

"Good, good. Busy. Teaching Charms, it's my second year and going wonderfully. No one's heard from you though. How are you?" Hermione asked a blush creeping up even more. She hadn't gotten this way since her first date with Oliver Wood, and that was almost two and a half years ago.

"Wonderful, I was abroad. Studying plants up close was the best. I wasn't planning on coming back but someone asked me to." Neville's smile was contagious and Hermione couldn't help but smile back just as wide.

"Alright love birds back to the game." Charlie gently shoved Hermione making her bump into Neville.

"Sorry…" Her face was burning.

Aplogizes were soon forgotten as the game got heated. "How far in advance must the wolfsbane potion be taken?" Hermione and Neville both yelled out a week before they blushed horribly. Hermione asked out "Besides an author what was Newt Scamander?" The couples lost a point and Charlie calmly pointed out Magizoologist. It went back and forth the two teams taking points from one another and drinking more as the firewhiskey and Elevish wine kept coming. The questions ranged in difficulty but the answers became more bizarre as everyone became more inebriated.

"No, no, no. It was not him. I know for a fact that unicorns glitter!" Ron's voice was exasperated he was tired of trying to win.

"Ron it's their blood that appears to glow. It being silver." Hermione shook her head.

"Is that your answer then?" Ginny asked her smile wide.

"Of course not, Ronald is incorrect. Unicorns do not glow at all." Hermione pointed out matter of factly.

Neville patted her on the shoulder thinking it was a friendly gesture but his hand seemed to linger and she didn't push him away, so his hand stayed, not heavily but just rubbing small circles on her shoulder, then figure eights. His head seemed fuzzier that usual but he enjoyed the feeling of her warmth against his hand. Hermione though acted perfectly fine on the outside but was frozen inside. She could feel the electrical shocks as his hand rubbed her. She had to remind herself to pay attention to the questions.

"Now who was it that uh floundered no…founded Hogwarts?" Ron's voice slipped up and then he hiccupped spilling a bit of his drink.

"Oh Merlin, 'Mione you know this." Fred looked around desperately, his eyes were blurry and everyone was moving…or were they.

Hermione giggled. "Oh Hogwarts: A History." Her voice was sing songy and she quickly moved a hand over her mouth to conceal her continuing giggles.

After drinking so much her voice was heavier than usual and she really couldn't stand, she hadn't tried but her legs felt rubbery. Her mind was clear with facts but she got even more competitive as the drinking went on. Charlie had already passed out in his chair having gotten bored after the fifteenth round. Harry and Ginny were starting to get fidgety. Their hands moving under the table doing Merlin knows what. Fred and Angelina were picking on one another in their flirtatious manner, having a good time as always. Neville was still playing the game getting almost every type of plant related question and oddly enough Wizarding relic topics.

"While traveling I got to see some really interesting pieces of wizarding artifacts. After the war it became a hobby to learn more about them. With the sword and everything." Neville's words weren't fuzzy but his eyelids drooped slightly more than usual and his cheeks were bright red with color.

The game had slowed and became a more of a light chat all around. Soon everyone was yawning and making plans to go back home. Hermione looked up at Neville tired but everything seemed to glow in a beautiful golden tone. She smiled up at him but slightly frowned not know where he was going off to next. "Where are you staying?"

"Hogwarts, I'm the new Professor taking over for Sprout." He smiled lightly his arm now resting across her shoulders and his head slightly on top of hers.

One by one in pairs everyone went off toward the fireplace to use the Floo system. Rosemerta was closing up packing the chairs up and putting up the rest of the clean glasses. No one was left but Neville and Hermione in The Three Broomsticks.

"I'll walk you back."

Hermione smiled sweetly and grabbed her coat that was draped over the chair she was in. "Thanks again Rosemerta, we had a great night." She ended it in a yawn but the pub keeper just smiled and shooed them out, ready for bed as well.

They both made their way out into the biting cold. The wind was whipping around and there were small snow flurries swirling around them. Neville wound his arm around Hermione pulling her closer. "I don't want you getting frost bite." He smiled down at her and she returned the favor.

"I pretty sure that isn't the real problem here. How long are you planning to stay here?" Hermione didn't want to get her hopes up. They still had problems keeping professors, at least it wasn't death or losing their memory that was causing them to lose them. It was normally they just saw a better opportunity.

"Indefinitely."

They walked in silence for a while taking in the fast moving clouds, snow flurries whipping all around and Hermione couldn't stop from breathing in his scent. It was messing with her mind more than the liquor had. She kept thinking about how the rest of her days were going to be now that she had a college that was her age. She was also hotter than normal under her coat, her face was like ice but her body was heated from more than just wearing all of her layers. She hadn't felt this way in a long while.

Soon Hogwarts came into view. The lights were on as always the torches never going out and the whole place seemed serene. A full moon lit the way, now that the skies had cleared up. Hermione and Neville moved as one making their way toward the castle entrance. It was like coming home, but more complete.

"Where are you staying for the night?" Hermione peered up at him. She quickly licked her chapped lips, slightly dry from the bitter cold.

"They gave me a room, close to the area where the greenhouse is. I'm guessing you're where McGonnagall used to stay?" Neville was rubbing his hands together trying to warm them up. He then lightly grabbed hers and started to rub them as well.

"Yeah it's been mine for a while now. She decided to retire, have a peaceful life for a change. Do you want to come up for a cup of tea? You know to warm up." She almost couldn't look him in the eye.

"Of course, lead the way." Neville smiled dropping one of her hands.

The castle was the same even after the rebuilding. There were only a few differences that only the older students and faculty could really point out. The stones weren't as old, still pockmarked but they didn't have the rubbed used areas from hundreds of kids rubbing up against them day in and day out. They made their way to her room. She murmured the password 'Beadle and Bard'. The portrait of a lion and a tribal figure moved open, them both bowing their heads lightly.

"Interesting password there." Neville remarked

"Always a title I just like to change it up." She smiled taking her coat off and laying it on the plush chair in the living space.

Her place was warming and inviting, stone walls of Hogwarts were covered in small tapestries and photos of friends and families. She had a plush couch and two chairs that were dark blue with red threading. Her desk sat in a nook covered in papers, quills and inkbottles. The whole place was lit up with scones on the wall and small reading lights near the chairs and couch. Other than that the place was filled with books and bookshelves.

"This is wonderful." Neville ran his hand along the spines of the books. "And it's in order to. Lovely."

Hermione laughed. Most people didn't even perceived that they were in order as if they were in a library. "It's easier that way for me at least. Is mint alright with you?" Hermione set the pot on her small kitchenette.

"Of course."

Neville moved over to Hermione she was even more beautiful in her own place. Everything complimented her and clothes seemed to always cling in just the right places. He let his hand linger on her hand. "Hermione."

She turned and looked at him after pulling the mugs off the small shelf she had. "Hmm?"

His eyes were clouded with lust and hers widen in surprise. She wasn't expecting to feel the jittery feeling of interest so quickly. His eyes were a dark chocolate compared to her hazelnut eyes. A bit of his hair had fallen into his face. She lifted her hand to brush the stray hair back into place.

"May I?" His question was so ubiquitous but she knew what he was asking, but her tongue tied so she nodded in response.

He didn't hesitate and his lips met hers. They were warm and slightly wet. She could taste the alcohol that was still lingering from the pub. She pushed in closer to him; her hands went into his hair while his hands rubbed along his sides. Their kiss went from sweet and hesitant to passionate. His smell swirled around him and made her have to pull away just to gasp for a breath. She turned to move the teapot of the burner and then moved her attentions back to Neville. He had a sheepish grin on.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't you dare apologize Neville. I don't really know wants going on but we have the break to figure it out. I think though we should leave any questions till morning." She smiled looking up at him.

He nodded and she took his hand, they stayed up even later than planned that night in her bedroom. It was a night that began their relationship and by term, they were living together. They rarely fought except over certain theories dealing with magic and their book collections had exceptionally grown.

In the end Trivia night became an all couples game each couple competing one another. It always ended heated in all the different ways. The teams became Harry and Ginny (dominating all Qudditch and Dark Spells), Ron and Lavender (reigning in all pop culture in the wizarding world), Charlie and _ (mastering all magical creatures and lore), Fred and Angelica (champs at business and pranks) but, Hermione and Neville were the unspoken champions of trivia night. No one would really care in the end though because by the end everyone went their own ways and usually ended up in bed with their significant other satiated intellectually and physically, of course. They would compete with one another in the mornings with their crosswords puzzles and see who would finish them first before classes began that day. Then they would give a quick but slightly heated kiss and go teach their designated classes.


End file.
